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@vena/z Minede HH UHIIIIIIIIIIIIU UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER J. MUNHALL, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'lO WILLIAM A.. RAMAGE, OF SAME PLACE.

' FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,916, dated July 31, 1894.

Application tiled January 24, 1894. Serial No. l97,930. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER J. MUNHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Auburn, county of Cayuga, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings on one sheet, making part of this specification.

The objects of my invention are to construct a substantial fire escape that may readily be extended into position for use inv cases of emergency, and so arranged that it may be extended against vor away from the walls of the building to which it isV applied in a posit1on easy of descent or ascent, and which can readily be contracted or folded upand out of the way when not desired for use. I attain these objects by the mechanism shownin'the accompanying sheet of drawings consisting of three figures, in which- Figure 1, represents a side elevation of the fire escape as it appears when applied to the building, and contracted or folded up when not required for use. Fig. 2, is a vertical plan vlew of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, is a sectional'view .of the deck of the fire escape through theline w, w, of Fig. 2. Y

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings A, represents the deck of the fire escape which latter consists mainly of two series of lazy-tongs B, B', in uniform opposition to each other, being centrally pivoted at C, and pivoted and connected at their forward and rearward ends by the rungs D, D', which former are readily made available for purpose of descent and ascent when the reescape is extended for use. i

The deck A, is provided with lugs E,.E,-by means of which it is fastened to the building F, in proper place at an opening therein, or a window Gr.

To the lower side of the deck A, is fastened a tapered hub K, by means of the bolt J, on which said tapered hub K, is tted and free to turn a seat L, which is formed on the upper side of the frame H. The frame H, is extended intoy the bars M, M', to the ends of A 1which at N, and also near the center-of the same at O, are pivoted the lazy-tongs B, B', 'already' described.

' On the bar M, of the frame H, is suitably I secured the vertical post P, which carries in a slot at its top end the sheave Q. The post P, is provided midway with bearings R, R, which serve to support a crank-shaft S, on which is fixed the reel T, which has a ratchet head U, into which engages a pawl V, which is carried in proper Working place on thev post P. A cable W,is provided, one end yof which being made fast to the reel T, they other end is passed through the sheave Q, and thence downward to the bottom of the extended lazytong's'B, where it is again made fast? to an arm Y, provided at that point, the object of whichl arrangement of parts will presently be seen. A hand lever a, is provided and pivoted to the lazy tongs B, at the point N, of the bar M, and extended from thence rearwardly in the form of an arc which is provided 'with an eX- tended slot b, which engages with one of the central pivots C, of th'e lazy tongs B, in the form and after the manner Lshown in Fig. l, and the office of which will hereinafter be described.

Having thus explained the several parts and features of my invention, I will now set forth the operation of the same.

When not in use, the lire escape presents the appearance as shown in the positive lines in the elevation shown at Fig. 1, the lazy tongs being contracted or folded together be- Yneath the deck A; this position is enforced by the winding up on the reel T, of the cable W, by the operator, which said cable is made fast at its lower end. to the arm Y, attached to the bottoni end of the lazy tongs B, as heretofore mentioned. The pawl V, being then engaged in the ratchet head U, of the reel T, carried on the crank shaft S, supported by the bearings R, R, which are carried midway on the post P, serves to lock and retain the lazy tongs in the contracted or folded position beneath the deck A, as already mentioned, the hand lever a, assuming a horizontal planeas shown.

When the fire escape is desired for use, the operator has simply to disengage the pawl Y,

from the ratchet head U, of the reel T, whenA Should it be desired to extend the lazy tongs in a line away from the building or at right angle thereto, this can be eected by the op erator turning the frame H, on the taper hub K, secured to the under side of the deck A, by the bolt J, either before or after a partial release of `the lazy tongs :as already described and clearly shown by the .dotted lines in Fig. 2,in which the arc describedf-or a portion thereoffwby the frame H, and itsseyeral connected parts is shown by the dotted arrow Z.

Having thus fully described my invention in its several parts, together with its mode of operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patentof the United States, 1sf- 1. The combination with the lazy-tongs B, B', connected bythe rungs D, D', of the hand lever a, having an extended slot b, and pivoted on the said lazy tongs B, at N, whereby they are `extended substantially in the manner and for the purpose as herein described and specified.'

2. In a tire escape fthe combination with the deck A, having a taper hub K, held on the under side thereof by the bolt J, of the frame I-I, having a seat L, whereby the said frame may be `turned about the deck, substantially `deck A, having lugs E, E; the frame ILpivconstructed inthe manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

3. In a re escape the combination with the deck` A, having the lugs E, E, of the frame H, pivoted thereto by the bolt J, and extended into the bars M, M', to which the lazy tongs B, B', are pivoted, and carrying the post P, provided with thereel T, having a ratchet head U, and a pawl V; of the cable W, made fast at one'end to said reel T, and passing through the sheave Q, on the said post P, and made fast at its other end to the arm Y., at the bottom of the lazy tongs B, B', substantially constructed in the manner and for the purpose herein described and specified.

4. In a fire escape, the combination of the oted thereto by Athe bolt J, and the taper hub K, dtted in the seat L,.of ,saidfra-me extended into the bars M, M", to which the'lazyatongs B, B', are pivoted, and carrying the pest P, provided with the reel T, having .a ratchet head U, and a pawl V; the cable W, made fast at one end to the said reel T, passing through the sheave Q, on the post J?, and

. made fast at the other end tothearmYgat` the ,f

bottom of the lazy tongs B, B', andthe hand- 65 lever a, pivotedfon, and extending Sidlazy tongs; the whole substantially constructed and combined for joint operation in the manner and for the purpose hereindescri'bed and specified. l

Inl testimony whereof I have hereunto setmy hand this 17th day of Januar-551x213.. 1894.

' PETER J. MUN'HALL. in. s] Witnesses:

CHAs. G. ADAMS,

H. M. WENDOVER. 

